Daily Times

LAHORE: There is no other country more hospitable than Pakistan where visiting teams get “president-level security”, ex-Australian captain Greg Chappell has said. The former Australian skipper backed Aussies tour to Pakistan next year for three Tests, three ODIs and a T20I in a column he wrote for Sydney Morning Herald. “I hope that a full-strength team will visit Pakistan next year, as this visit is very important for improving the health of Test cricket,” Chappell wrote. The Australian great, who represented Australia in 87 Test matches, also revealed that according to his reports, the Australian delegation was satisfied with the steps taken in Pakistan. Recalling Imran Khan as a cricketer, he wrote: “Khan was a great all-rounder of his time, and now he is the Prime Minister of the country and determined to oversee the return of international cricket. I am confident that no stone will be left unturned in this quest.” “Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has played PSL in Pakistan and he has an idea of the situation in the county,” he elaborated. “Pakistan has the best talent in cricket, Babar Azam, Rizwan and Shaheen are some of the best cricketers. The world of cricket needs a strong Pakistan cricket team today,” he added.

Shedding light on the importance of the Pakistan tour, he wrote: “It is critical that Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) make it clear to the players how important this tour is to the long-term future of the game.” Chappell also recalled his visit to Pakistan as Indian team head coach and he also understands the importance of Pakistan, India cricket matches. About Virat Kohli, he wrote: “I hope that Indian batter will tour Pakistan at least once before his retirement.”